The select board recently included a $15,000 line item in the towns budget

KIRBY — The select board recently included a $15,000 line item in the town’s budget to cover firefighting bills and further considered the cost of emergency coverage. The decision was made at a special meeting on Dec. 28 as there had been concern over billing by outside departments that cover emergencies in Kirby. A handful of costly bills to the town this past year prompted a discussion about both a policy and the need for contracts with responding fire departments. Bills paid recently include to the St. Johnsbury’s Fire Department for a Nov. 29 smoke report at a property on Route 2 resulting in a $1,778.82 bill; and an invoice from the Town of Waterford’s fire department for mutual aid calls to Kirby on Oct. 28 and Dec. 4 totaling $1,125. The two bills were paid out of excess amounts remaining in other budget amounts.